"In a major reversal, Yosemite National Park officials have dropped controversial plans to ban a wide variety of recreational activities in Yosemite Valley, including ending bike and raft rentals and tearing out swimming pools at the Yosemite Lodge and famed Ahwahnee Hotel."

For the rest of the story, follow the link.

I'm sure that many of you were riled up by this proposal, especially the bone-head idea of discouraging bicycling on the bike paths....

The MercuryNews article also failed to mention another significant change in regards to rafting in Yosemite Valley: watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

Quoteplawrence
The MercuryNews article also failed to mention another significant change in regards to rafting in Yosemite Valley: watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

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Any chance you could provide more information regarding the location of the 8 mile stretch. We always enjoy a leisurely float whenever the water is right.

QuoteKC
True. Small pack rafts might be interesting to see, if not try.

I'd been meaning to take my raft to cross The Merced in LYV to go up to Lake Helen...some nutjob was crazy enough to come down that "trail" with me last year whenMerced was low... so never did that... I had no idea that that was illegal.Rafted in many a Yosemite Lake... but not in Merced or Washburn. I don't seeany difference. Sometimes the rules they have just don't make sense.Maybe that's the reason they changed it. ???fwiw... no way in heck would I get anywhere near the outlets of either lake whenthe river was roaring... (a pack raft is NOT a kayak)(learned my lesson last year crossing Cherry Crk!)

It's not that exciting really. In trail boat... trying to get to a nice landing spot and notget flippers wet... spent about 10 minutes rowing... and going nowhere...getting sucked back by the undercurrents .. no danger... other than me getting tired.Just a small lesson in the force and power of water.

The MercuryNews article also failed to mention another significant change in regards to rafting in Yosemite Valley: watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

Any chance you could provide more information regarding the location of the 8 mile stretch. We always enjoy a leisurely float whenever the water is right.

Under the preferred alternative (the one they're planning to adopt), the limits for commercial boating (i.e. DNC raft rentals) will remain the same (from Stoneman Bridge to just beyond Swinging Bridge), but private boating will be greatly expanded.

Within Yosemite Valley, private watercraft will be able to navigate the Merced River from Clark's Bridge (the bridge that connects Upper & Lower Pines Campgrounds with North Pines Campground and the Stables) all the way downstream to the Pohono Bridge (the bridge that connects Northside Drive with Southside Drive at the very west end of Yosemite Valley).

In addition...

Private (non-commercial) watercraft will also be allowed (via a new permit) to navigate the Merced River ABOVE Nevada Falls from the Headwaters of the main stem of the Merced River to the junction of the Half Dome and Merced Lake trails. The proposed permit quota for watercraft operating in this section of the Merced River (which is classified as a wild river) will be 20 boats per day.

The MercuryNews article also failed to mention another significant change in regards to rafting in Yosemite Valley: watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

Any chance you could provide more information regarding the location of the 8 mile stretch. We always enjoy a leisurely float whenever the water is right.

Under the preferred alternative (the one they're planning to adopt), the limits for commercial boating (i.e. DNC raft rentals) will remain the same (from Stoneman Bridge to just beyond Swinging Bridge), but private boating will be greatly expanded.

Within Yosemite Valley, private watercraft will be able to navigate the Merced River from Clark's Bridge (the bridge that connects Upper & Lower Pines Campgrounds with North Pines Campground and the Stables) all the way downstream to the Pohono Bridge (the bridge that connects Northside Drive with Southside Drive at the very west end of Yosemite Valley).

In addition...

Private (non-commercial) watercraft will also be allowed (via a new permit) to navigate the Merced River ABOVE Nevada Falls from the Headwaters of the main stem of the Merced River to the junction of the Half Dome and Merced Lake trails. The proposed permit quota for watercraft operating in this section of the Merced River (which is classified as a wild river) will be 20 boats per day.

Wow, they are opening up a lot of the river that had been closed. Some of the stretches they are opening up are going to be pretty iffy for novice rafters. There are some iffy areas from off of site 62 in Lower Pines to the Awahnee, and again after the old El Capitan picnic area to Pohono. More rapids at the end of the Bridalveil Falls straight (eastern end). And I'd be real careful to make sure you get out of the river before Pohono because if you miss that opportunity if I remember right you drop into some pretty good rapids with large boulders. The old raft rentals used to take you from Stoneman to the old El Capitan picnic area.

Quoteplawrence
watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

Quoteplawrence
watercraft (including rafts) will now be allowed on an eight-mile stretch of the Merced River through Yosemite Valley (compared to the measly 2.4 miles of the Merced River that is currently allowed).

In the past, the park planners have given the audience members (including those attending via the webinar) an opportunity to ask questions. If you have any questions regarding the timeframe when the new rafting regulations will go into affect, you will probably have an opportunity to ask them during this meeting (in person or via the webinar website).

After reading parts of the massive report, it appears to me that some of the new rules and regulations will be implemented soon after the plan is officially adopted (after the 30-day no-action period which will end in mid-March and a Record of Decision is prepared and signed) barring any last minute lawsuit and a court order injunction. So I wouldn't be surprised if the new regulations concerning rafting along the Merced inside Yosemite Valley is implemented this year.

The opportunity to raft or kayak the upper parts of the Merced River (above Nevada Falls) might take longer since they would need to put in place the proposed boat permit system for this portion of the Merced River.

Quoteplawrence. . . s n i p . . .A two-hour informational meeting, including a simultaneous webinar, will be held at the Yosemite Valley Auditorium on Thursday, March 6th at 1:00 PM to discus the Final Merced River Plan and its EIS.. . . s n i p . . .

If I can get the time off work I'm going to make this a 4 day weekend and attend this. I sure wish they would do these things on weekends when the normal working people can attend.

If anyone else will be there and would like to meet/compare notes/gangup on NPS/etc please PM me

I sure wish they would do these things on weekends when the normal working people can attend.

Generally speaking, the NPS planning staff don't work weekends (though I think one or two will be present during the Saturday of the Yosemite Conservancy's "Spring Gathering" to give a presentation to the Yosemite Conservancy members attending the event).